1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a prompter, which displays an image of a script so that it is visible to the newscaster on a television program.
2. Description of Related Art
A prompter disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 1-147970 comprises a transparent liquid crystal display panel (hereunder named as “an LCD panel”) and a semitransparent mirror, which reflects an image of a script displayed on the LCD panel toward a newscaster. The LCD panel and the semitransparent mirror are fixed on a support stage (support member), which is detachably attached to a camera platform of a tripod. A TV camera is also detachably attached on the support stage behind the semitransparent mirror. The newscaster can thereby read the script, of which image is reflected on the semitransparent mirror, while looking toward the TV camera through the semitransparent mirror.
Considering its portability, an ENG camera, which can be carried on a cameraperson's shoulder, is applied to a prompter system for an outdoor reporting since a reporter often has to quickly shift reporting locations many times.
With this type of prompter system, in the case of changing a reporting location, the support stage is detached from the camera platform after detaching the ENG camera from the support stage, and thus the prompter system is divided into three parts that are the ENG camera part, a part comprising the LCD panel, a semitransparent mirror and a support stage, and a tripod part; then the three parts are carried to the next reporting location.
The above-mentioned conventional prompter system can be easily carried with its ENG camera and the tripod, but not with its support stage at which the LCD panel and the semitransparent mirror are supported. This is because the entire support stage is a long object which comprises a front member for supporting the LCD panel and the semitransparent mirror and a rear member for supporting the ENG camera; and further, the weight of the front part of the support state is considerably heavier than the rear part and thus the weight balance of the support stage is poor.
In another prompter disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 5-130461, an LCD panel is provided at a bottom lid of a case which can be opened and closed, and a semitransparent mirror is provided to the upper lid of the case, and the prompter has a hinge which can engage with the semitransparent mirror at the angle of 45 degrees with respect to the LCD panel when opening the upper lid. In the prompter, the semitransparent mirror can be automatically set at the position of the 45 degrees, where the semitransparent mirror is used, by only opening the upper lid from a housing position which is the position of the upper lid at the closing state.
This prompter, however, does not have a mechanism to regulate vertical positions of the semitransparent mirror with respect to the LCD panel. Because of that, the vertical positions of the semitransparent mirror must be adjusted at every time when positioning the semitransparent mirror from the housing position to the using position; thus this prompter has a difficulty with position adjustment.
This type of prompter encloses an optical path of the image of the script which is formed between the LCD panel and the semitransparent mirror with a masking cover (a masking member) in an attempt to clearly show to the newscaster the image of the script reflected by the semitransparent mirror.
The masking cover is formed with a member such as flexible nylon and the like, and comprises a top face which is arranged at the upper part of the semitransparent mirror, a side face which is arranged at the lateral side of the semitransparent mirror, and a back face which is arranged at the rear of the semitransparent mirror. When the semitransparent mirror is folded from the using position to the housing position at carrying the prompter, the masking cover is folded by following the folding action of the semitransparent mirror so as to cover the semitransparent mirror.
The conventional masking cover for the prompter can absorb shock to some extent by its self-elasticity when bumping against an obstacle while the prompter is being carried; however, this masking cover is basically not constructed to protect the semitransparent mirror from the shock. Thus, the masking cover cannot sufficiently protect the semitransparent mirror from the shock.
Because of the characteristics of the transparent LCD panel, the displayed image of the script is difficult to see when the external light enters into the LCD panel. Hence, a thin plate masking member named a masking flag is extended from the masking cover to further forward so as to prevent the external light from entering into the LCD panel.
The conventional masking flag for the prompter, however, is not made for portability despite its large size compared with the masking cover; thus, the masking flag is too bulky to carry.
A lens of the TV camera is inserted from a lens insertion hole of a member with a lens insertion hole arranged at the rear of the semitransparent mirror, and is positioned at a predetermined position at the rear of the semitransparent mirror. After the positioning operation, the TV camera is thus fixed at the support stage.
The conventional prompter has a disadvantage in that when the TV camera lens is inserted from the lens insertion hole of the member with the lens insertion hole while positioning the TV camera lens, the top end of the TV camera may collide with the semitransparent mirror by mistake, and the semitransparent mirror may be damaged.